The recent rain over the weekend not only kept the plants healthy and the flowers pretty, but also cleared the pollen particles from the air.  After waking up the morning after the rain, I could not wait to take delight at the freshness of everything.   
I first took a walk around my house, and saw wisteria crawling over the fence from my neighbor's yard.  The flowers and the buds looked beautiful under the morning sun.  On the vine hanging water drops looked like crystal beads on a necklace.  Buds of new leaves were like professional dancers performing on the stage by extending multiple arms.  In Brightwood Park the overgrowth of wisteria has been a threat to many trees and there is a current effort to remove it.  Yet at many homes it remains ornamental as long as the growth is under control.  
 
Going to the park early in the morning, the chance of seeing birds and animals is higher than the rest of the day.  Although the great-horned owl was not home, I was able to see a gray catbird on a nearby tree branch and a green heron from a distance away.  Along with the catbird and the heron, a mallard duck served as my photography model.
 
The reflection of the trees in the pond has always been an attraction to artists.  Today I saw a triangle-shaped stone located across from the dam and bridge.  With a fresh impression of the waterfront area of Manhattan where I visited a week ago, I named it Brightwood VIA 57 WEST.

The rain we had yesterday and last night not only kept the plants healthy and the flowers pretty, but also cleared the pollen particles from the air.  After waking up I could not wait to take delight at  the freshness of everything.  

I first took a walk around my house, and saw wisteria crawling over the fence from my neighbor's yard.  The flowers and the buds looked beautiful under the morning sun.  On the vine hanging water drops looked like crystal beads on a necklace.  Buds of new leaves were like professional dancers performing on the stage by extending multiple arms.  In Brightwood Park the overgrowth of wisteria has been a threat to many trees and there is a current effort to remove it.  Yet at many homes it remains ornamental as long as the growth is under control.  

Going to the park early in the morning, the chance of seeing birds and animals is higher than the rest of the day.  Although the great-horned owl was not home today, I was able to see a gray catbird on a nearby tree branch and a green heron from a distance away.  Along with the catbird and the heron, a mallard duck served as my photography model.

The reflection of the trees in the pond has always been an attraction to artists.  Today I saw a triangle-shaped stone located across from the dam and bridge.  With a fresh impression of the waterfront area of Manhattan where I visited a week ago, I named it Brightwood VIA 57 WEST.

The rain we had yesterday and last night not only kept the plants healthy and the flowers pretty, but also cleared the pollen particles from the air.  After waking up I could not wait to take delight at  the freshness of everything.  

I first took a walk around my house, and saw wisteria crawling over the fence from my neighbor's yard.  The flowers and the buds looked beautiful under the morning sun.  On the vine hanging water drops looked like crystal beads on a necklace.  Buds of new leaves were like professional dancers performing on the stage by extending multiple arms.  In Brightwood Park the overgrowth of wisteria has been a threat to many trees and there is a current effort to remove it.  Yet at many homes it remains ornamental as long as the growth is under control.  

Going to the park early in the morning, the chance of seeing birds and animals is higher than the rest of the day.  Although the great-horned owl was not home today, I was able to see a gray catbird on a nearby tree branch and a green heron from a distance away.  Along with the catbird and the heron, a mallard duck served as my photography model.

The reflection of the trees in the pond has always been an attraction to artists.  Today I saw a triangle-shaped stone located across from the dam and bridge.  With a fresh impression of the waterfront area of Manhattan where I visited a week ago, I named it Brightwood VIA 57 WEST.

The rain we had yesterday and last night not only kept the plants healthy and the flowers pretty, but also cleared the pollen particles from the air.  After waking up I could not wait to take delight at  the freshness of everything.  

I first took a walk around my house, and saw wisteria crawling over the fence from my neighbor's yard.  The flowers and the buds looked beautiful under the morning sun.  On the vine hanging water drops looked like crystal beads on a necklace.  Buds of new leaves were like professional dancers performing on the stage by extending multiple arms.  In Brightwood Park the overgrowth of wisteria has been a threat to many trees and there is a current effort to remove it.  Yet at many homes it remains ornamental as long as the growth is under control.  

Going to the park early in the morning, the chance of seeing birds and animals is higher than the rest of the day.  Although the great-horned owl was not home today, I was able to see a gray catbird on a nearby tree branch and a green heron from a distance away.  Along with the catbird and the heron, a mallard duck served as my photography model.

The reflection of the trees in the pond has always been an attraction to artists.  Today I saw a triangle-shaped stone located across from the dam and bridge.  With a fresh impression of the waterfront area of Manhattan where I visited a week ago, I named it Brightwood VIA 57 WEST.

 It has been a while since I last shared my Brightwood Park adventures.   While I still have hundreds of photos to process,  I would like to present to you a few interesting developments which caught my eye.

First, it is confirmed that a great horned owl moved into the famous old tree house near Prospect Street.  When I examined the image I took, I am unsure whether this fellow was making a funny face to me, or was born with cross eyes.

Second, sandpipers appeared last Saturday and almost visited the park everyday at the small pond.  I think I saw a male and a female today.

As far as the plants are concerned, a large flora of bluebell flowers (with blue-purple, pink, and white colors) came on stage.  Nearby there were a few jack-in-the pulpit plants.  The flowers of the latter almost changed everyday and developed beautiful colors and patterns.

The fungi are not lagging behind.  Near where the bluebells are, a group of mushrooms of schizophyllaceae grew in adorable formations on a fallen tree branch.  Some looked like Chinese fans and others appeared like human feet with multiple toes.  A few tree fungi (polyporaceae?) grew on a large log.  One of them had a shape like a heart, which reminded me of a patch of moss that I saw and shared a picture of two years ago (included in this album).  When you fall in love with Brightwood Park, you can really experience a heart-to-heart relationship with the plants, the birds, and the animals here.

 Spring is the home-coming season for many birds.  A few days ago I saw a pair of blue herons flying over the large pond, possibly on a house-hunting tour.  This morning I saw one standing on a tall tree in the central island.  The big bird opened the beak as if to say "good morning" to me, and then did several postings for me to take portrait shots.

A northern flicker couple are apparently hatching eggs in their lovely home overlooking the pond and the central island.  The expecting mom looked tired and was waiting for her husband to take the next shift.  Lo and behold, he came home and after a soft and sweet whisper, took over the job.

New flowers and leaves are now everywhere, bringing delight to both people and animals.  The picture of orchid flowers were taken at home.  They are new members added to my family.  I have been watching the buds for almost 5 months.  The waiting finally paid off.
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Last Saturday while I was walking in the park, a pair of wood ducks flew from the pond across the trail into the woods.  They dated on trees and did not mind my presence and picture-taking, as if being hired by me as models.  Instead of making sounds of high pitch and pace, they talked to each other very softly.  The motions of the male approaching the female and of both responding to each other reminded me of the good old days when I was chasing my girlfriend (now my wife, of course).

I have never been allowed by wood ducks to get so close to them.  I changed my position several times and worked for almost 30 minutes.  Believe or not, even when I felt it was time to wrap up, the couple still wanted to go on.  Now I need to figure out whether they use email or other media tools to allow me to send the images to them.

  During a brief walk in Brightwood park this morning, I had encounters with a few interesting objects and would like to share them with you. 

Watching the plants and the flowers made me feel like being in a concert.  The program included but not limited to quartets, solos, and choir performances.

A  log of a fallen tree, located on the Prospect Street side of the trail, across from the picnic area, appeared like a giant snake waking up in the spring concert.

On nearby trees, two blue jays performed singing and dancing.  A mourning dove made a silent special pose.  I wonder if this was inspired by the bald eagle sign of the US Postal Service.

On my way back home, I was attracted by the beautiful magnolia and forsythia flowers.  The last two pictures were taken from my yard, outlooking those of my neighbors along Brightwood Ave.  To me the stars-and-stripes is one of the most beautiful among all national symbols.   

On Sunday in the first week of April, I visited both Brightwood and Mindowaskin Parks, in the morning and before sunset.  As I was watching the flowers and greeting the birds, one classical music piece and one modern (sort of) pop song came to my mind.  The classical one was the Pastoral Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven.  From one day to the next, the change of weather patterns was like the rolling of the movements in the symphony.  The pop song was "Beautiful Sunday" by Daniel Boone, which I learned as a college freshman.  Now after 50 years, I am blessed with a "her" to say "Beautiful Sunday" to each other every Sunday.  Also it is a blessing to live in Westfield and sing the song to friends, plants, flowers, and many lovely creatures.

At Brightwood Park, a northern flicker got out of the tree house after hearing my whistle.  Likely we developed some kind of common language by now.  On the side a blue jay sent a greeting by fluffing the hair.  The geese and ducks were like professional dancers, performing on a stage with beautiful background scenery and special light effects.

  I was happy to meet a new friend at Brightwood Park a few weeks ago.  She told me about some wood ducks in the trees near the ponds.  Since then, I have been looking around in the woods and hoping to have the same luck.  That moment came this morning when I was approaching the dam.  A pair of wood ducks took off from the water and performed an incredible show in front of me.  The two first landed on separate trees.  The male let me take multiple portrait shots.  Then he called the female to join him.  After being together they seemed to have a lot to tell each other (gossiping about me?).  They also posed in various ways to let me record the happy moments.
Upon the conclusion of the show, an old tree who refused to be regarded as "dead wood" clapped his hands and then covered his laughing mouth with a hand to avoid being carried away.

The first picture was taken when I walked past the meadow area.  There appeared to be a cat staring at me.  As I got closer, it turned out to be the root tip of a fallen tree.  Afterwards I wondered which doctor I need to go to, an optometrist or a psychiatrist?

 I went to Brightwood Park after waking up one morning.  The sun was like a spotlight on a performance stage, revealing the beautiful background and the characters.  Although it was the beginning of the day, the joy of spring made me feel drunk and start daydreaming in this wonderland.

Yesterday I saw two birds fighting for a tree hole.  It was between a male northern flicker and a female red-bellied woodpecker.  Today when I walked by and whistled, a female northern flicker rushed back and held tightly to the entrance of the tree hole.  My guess is that a couple already checked in this apartment and there may even be eggs inside.

Speaking of whistling, I learned last year that this could be a way to communicate with northern flickers.  Near the Prospect Street entrance of the park, there was a family of northern flickers living in a tree hole.  Everytime I walked by, the birds would respond to my whistling.  Sometimes one head stuck out, sometimes two, and there was one time I saw three, with a curious baby bird joining the daddy and the mommy to say hi.

A robin stood on the grass, looking very fulfilled.  I could not imagine how many earthworms were caught by the bird.  Somehow I was reminded of a recent experience of an international flight I took.  I chose a window seat to take pictures.  My next-seat passenger was like this bird, happy and firendly.  For a good 11 hours on the flight, I felt warm and secure even though the cabin temperature was lower then usual.  However at arrival I was like a piece of pickled cucumber at the bottom of the jar.